Bhutan-Participation in International Organizations

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Historically, Bhutan's foreign relations had been
limited
primarily to contacts with Tibet, India, and Britain. A
major
achievement was made in the 1960s as Bhutan began to join
international organizations. It first became a member of
the
Colombo Plan in 1962, which put the kingdom into contact
with
member states throughout South Asia and Southeast Asia for
purposes
of fostering cooperative economic development. Bhutan
joined the
Universal Postal Union in 1969, putting it into contact
with some
137 countries. UN membership was achieved in 1971,
followed by the
gaining of seats in the UN's specialized and related
agencies,
including the International Monetary Fund
(IMF--see Glossary) and
the World Bank. A founding member of SAARC in 1983, Bhutan
had also
established relations with the Coordination Bureau of the
Nonaligned Countries (the headquarters of the Nonaligned
Movement),
the Group of 77, the Asian Development Bank, and the
European
Community. By 1990, Bhutan belonged to 119 international,
regional,
and special interest organizations
(see table 32, Appendix).

In 1975 Bhutan and four other landlocked Asian
countries
(Afghanistan, Laos, Mongolia, and Nepal) were granted a
special
status as "least developed landlocked countries" by the UN
Economic
and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) in
coordination with the United Nations Conference on Trade
and
Development (UNCTAD) and UNDP. Despite these
organizations'
intentions to assist Bhutan and the other countries in
dealing with
international transit problems, Bhutan declined to
participate in
their work.

Perhaps the most significant international
participation Bhutan
embarked on in the 1980s was membership in SAARC. SAARC's
agenda
excluded bilateral issues and political programs from the
organization's debates and confined committee and summit
discussions to areas where member nations must find common
ground
for achieving mutual economic benefit. Bhutan became
involved in
useful working group discussions on agriculture and
livestock,
rural development, meteorology, telecommunications,
science and
technology, health and population, transportation, postal
cooperation, and trade and industrial cooperation.

Heads-of-state meetings of SAARC have taken Jigme
Singye
Wangchuck abroad on several occasions. The integration of
Bhutan
into SAARC activities also involved the country with a
variety of
issues of concern to poor undeveloped nations as well as
increasing
its participation in the Non-Aligned Movement. In Bhutan's
extensive multilateral diplomatic activities in the 1980s,
officials saw their country emerging as an "Eastern
Geneva"
providing a "venue for peace-making efforts in South
Asia."

In 1865, Britain and Bhutan signed the Treaty of Sinchulu, under which Bhutan would receive an annual subsidy in exchange for ceding some border land to British India. Under British influence, a monarchy was set up in 1907; three years later, a treaty was signed whereby the British agreed not to interfere in Bhutanese internal affairs and Bhutan allowed Britain to direct its foreign affairs. This role was assumed by independent India after 1947. Two years later, a formal Indo-Bhutanese accord returned the areas of Bhutan annexed by the British, formalized the annual subsidies the country received, and defined India's responsibilities in defense and foreign relations. A refugee issue of over 100,000 Bhutanese in Nepal remains unresolved; 90% of the refugees are housed in seven United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) camps. In March 2005, King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK unveiled the government's draft constitution - which would introduce major democratic reforms - and pledged to hold a national referendum for its approval. In December 2006, the King abdicated the throne to his son, Jigme Khesar Namgyel WANGCHUCK, in order to give him experience as head of state before the democratic transition. In early 2007, India and Bhutan renegotiated their treaty to allow Bhutan greater autonomy in conducting its foreign policy, although Thimphu continues to coordinate policy decisions in this area with New Delhi. In July 2007, seven ministers of Bhutan's ten-member cabinet resigned to join the political process, and the cabinet acted as a caretaker regime until democratic elections for seats to the country's first parliament were completed in March 2008. The king ratified the country's first constitution in July 2008.

691,141note: the Factbook population estimate is consistent with the first modern census of Bhutan, conducted in 2005; previous Factbook population estimates for this country, which were on the order of three times the total population reported here, were based on Bhutanese government publications that did not include the census (July 2009 est.)

based on Indian law and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state: King Jigme Khesar Namgyel WANGCHUCK (since 14 December 2006); note - King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK abdicated the throne on 14 December 2006 and his son immediately succeeded him; the nearly two-year delay between the former King's abdication and his son's coronation on 6 November 2008 was to ensure an astrologically auspicious coronation date and to give the new King-who had limited experience-deeper administrative expertise under the guidance of this fatherhead of government: Prime Minister Jigme THINLEY (since 9 April 2008)cabinet: Council of Ministers (Lhengye Shungtsog) nominated by the monarch, approved by the National Assembly; members serve fixed, five-year terms; note - there is also a Royal Advisory Council (Lodoi Tsokde), members nominated by the monarchelections: the monarch is hereditary, but democratic reforms in July 1998 grant the National Assembly authority to remove the monarch with two-thirds vote; election of a new National Assembly occurred in March 2008; the leader of the majority party is nominated as the prime minister

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament consists of the non-partisan National Council (25 seats; 20 members elected by each of the 20 electoral districts (dzongkhags) for four-year terms and 5 members nominated by the King); and the National Assembly (47 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote for five-year terms)elections: National Council elections last held on 31 December 2007 and 29 January 2008 (next to be held by December 2012); National Assembly elections last held on 24 March 2008 (next to be held by March 2013)election results: National Council - NA; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - DPT 67%, PDP 33%; seats by party - DPT 45, PDP 2

Judicial branch

Supreme Court of Appeal (the monarch); High Court (judges appointed by the monarch); note - the draft constitution establishes a Supreme Court that will serve as chief court of appeal

divided diagonally from the lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle is yellow and the lower triangle is orange; centered along the dividing line is a large black and white dragon facing away from the hoist side

Economy - overview

The economy, one of the world's smallest and least developed, is based on agriculture and forestry, which provide the main livelihood for more than 60% of the population. Agriculture consists largely of subsistence farming and animal husbandry. Rugged mountains dominate the terrain and make the building of roads and other infrastructure difficult and expensive. The economy is closely aligned with India's through strong trade and monetary links and dependence on India's financial assistance. The industrial sector is technologically backward, with most production of the cottage industry type. Most development projects, such as road construction, rely on Indian migrant labor. Model education, social, and environment programs are underway with support from multilateral development organizations. Each economic program takes into account the government's desire to protect the country's environment and cultural traditions. For example, the government, in its cautious expansion of the tourist sector, encourages visits by upscale, environmentally conscientious tourists. Detailed controls and uncertain policies in areas such as industrial licensing, trade, labor, and finance continue to hamper foreign investment. Hydropower exports to India have boosted Bhutan's overall growth, even though GDP fell in 2008 as a result of a slowdown in India, its predominant export market. New hydropower projects will be the driving force behind Bhutan's ability to create employment and sustain growth in the coming years.

general assessment: urban towns and district headquarters have telecommunications servicesdomestic: low teledensity; domestic service is very poor especially in rural areas; wireless service available since 2003international: country code - 975; international telephone and telegraph service via landline and microwave relay through India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (2008)

Internet country code

.bt

Internet users

40,000 (2008)

Airports

2 (2009)

Roadways(km)

total: 8,050 kmpaved: 4,991 kmunpaved: 3,059 km (2003)

Military branches

Royal Bhutan Army (includes Royal Bodyguard and Royal Bhutan Police) (2009)

Military service age and obligation(years of age)

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 190,104females age 16-49: 167,289 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 150,210females age 16-49: 135,991 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 7,668female: 7,379 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures(% of GDP)

1% of GDP (2005 est.)

Disputes - international

Bhutan cooperates with India to expel Indian Nagaland separatists; lacking any treaty describing the boundary, Bhutan and China continue negotiations to establish a common boundary alignment to resolve territorial disputes arising from substantial cartographic discrepancies, the largest of which lie in Bhutan's northwest and along the Chumbi salient